Posts in category: Diplomacy

Carnival Cruise Line has officially launched their new rewards program and credit card that drastically changes how Carnival cruisers earn and maintain status.

Carnival Cruise Line has switched away from a traditional cruise rewards system that awards days at sea and moved to a program that is similar to what airlines and hotels offer. The Carnival credit card now plays a major role in earning status, along with onboard spending and points earned in the casino.

Carnival Rewards

The new program introduces both Carnival Reward Points and Status Qualifying Stars for the first time. The new Carnival Rewards Mastercard includes 50,000 bonus points for new cardmembers when they make their first purchase.

For the first time, Carnival cruisers can accelerate their status when using the credit card every single day of the year.

Here is a breakdown of Carnival Rewards and everything you need to know about this new program.

Points

Carnival cruisers will earn points that they can use towards future Carnival cruises, shore excursions, specialty dining, and spa treatments.

• 3 points for every $1 spent on all eligible Carnival purchases; this includes gratuities
• 1 point for every point earned in the casino
• Points for using Carnival Rewards Mastercard (more on that down below)

Points will be added to accounts approximately 14 days after a cruise. Carnival cruisers can redeem points at any time, once they are posted to their accounts.

Points won’t be redeemed at a flat rate, but on a dynamic scale and vary from cruise to cruise.

Stars

Status Qualifying Stars will be how Carnival cruisers earn status as they cruise on Fun Ships. They will earn three Stars for every $1 spent on Carnival purchases, including daily gratuities. One Star will also be earned for every casino point, even if they have been redeemed for Funplay.

Carnival will have the following four status levels:

• Red: Upon enrollment
• Gold: 10,000 Stars
• Platinum: 50,000 Stars
• Diamond: 100,000 Stars

Status is now earned over a two-year Status Qualifying Window, with the first running from September 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028. If a Carnival cruiser earns Platinum status in July 2027, it will be good for the rest of the year and the following two years.

Milestones

The new Milestone Recognition Program will celebrate enrolled Carnival Rewards members’ lifetime relationship with Carnival Cruise Line based on days sailed, enabling cruisers to achieve Milestones faster.

Credit Card

Carnival Cruise Line and Barclays have launched a new Carnival Rewards Mastercard that offers more perks than ever before. Those who had the previous Carnival credit card will be transitioned to the new card during their next billing cycle.

All existing Fun Points balances will convert 1:1 into new Carnival Rewards Points, and the credit card will continue to have no annual fee.

Carnival cruisers can earn the following points by using the new Carnival Rewards Mastercard:

• Up to 6x points on eligible Carnival purchases; this includes 3x points from the card and 3x points through Carnival)
• 2x points on eligible restaurant and grocery stores
• 50,000 bonus points for new cardmembers after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days
• 1x points on everything else
• 2,500 bonus points each year if you spend at least $2,000 on the card

You will also earn up to 4 Status Qualifying Stars on Carnival purchases when combined with the Stars earned through Carnival Rewards and 1 Status Qualifying Star on all other purchases.

In addition, the card will offer 0% APR for six months on all Carnival bookings.

Cruisers will also be able to redeem points for cruise upgrades.

Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said the following about the new rewards program:

“Cruise loyalty has traditionally been built around how often guests sail, and Carnival Rewards was designed to go beyond that. The new program recognizes the many ways our guests engage with Carnival, and with both rewards and status, we’re giving guests more flexibility and more value to enjoy the experiences that matter most to them. Simply put: Your cruise, Your rewards. Your way.”

Doug Villone, Head of US Cards and Partnerships at Barclays US Consumer Bank, added:

“More and more, today’s travelers are looking for rewards programs that deliver true value as they venture away from home. Our partnership with Carnival is rooted in a shared commitment to meeting those evolving needs. With the new Carnival Rewards Mastercard, we’re giving cardmembers more ways to earn on everyday purchases and making it easier to turn everyday spending into rewards for their next cruise.”

Norwegian Cruise Line celebrated the opening of Great Tides Waterpark on its private island in The Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay.

NCL hosted an exclusive event for various members of the media to get a first look at Great Tides Waterpark before the official grand opening on September 4, 2026.

The nearly six-acre waterpark offers one-of-a-kind experiences in four main areas.

Tidal Tower, the iconic centerpiece standing at 170 feet tall, features eight exhilarating slides, including the Tropic Spiral – the first Nautilus slide in the world with large spirals that spin guests into thrilling different directions; the Breakwater Blasters, the industry-first dueling Master Blaster slides in the Caribbean, which propel inner-tubes uphill and through steep drops and twists with high-pressure water jets; and many more.

Cliffside Cove, featuring Cliffside Leap, the industry’s first-ever and the Caribbean’s tallest cliff jumps, at 10 and 15 feet high; The Great Slide, the Caribbean’s only family slide where four guests can slide down together for an adrenaline rush; and The Fearless Falls slides dropping riders down from five feet above the water.

Wandering River, a dynamic river over 800 feet long, features the industry’s first immersive tunnel and swim-up bar, Floataway Bar, alongside the river.

Splash Cay offers over 9,000 square feet of family fun with an oversized tipping bucket holding 300 gallons of water, eight mini-slides, and interactive water features.

Guests who have a cruise booked that visits Great Stirrup Cay can purchase a pass by logging into their my NCL account.

Marc Kazlauskas, president of Norwegian Cruise Line, gave the following statement:

“Great Tides Waterpark represents an exciting new chapter for Great Stirrup Cay and a defining moment for Norwegian Cruise Line. “With our official grand opening just days away on September 4, this event offered a preview of the adventure, flexibility and family fun that awaits our guests.

“From the 170-foot Tidal Tower and first-of-its-kind slides to the immersive Wandering River, industry-first cliff jumps and interactive splash zones, every element has been thoughtfully designed to create an unforgettable island day for guests of all ages. Combined with the incredible experiences across Great Stirrup Cay, the destination offers families the freedom to enjoy the ultimate vacation day, where no one has to compromise and everyone gets the adventure or relaxation they want.”

Celestyal Cruises announced new winter 2027-2028 sailings that include an amended return of their popular “Three Continents” cruise.

These seven new cruises from Celestyal opened for bookings today and range from seven to 14 days in length. The cruises include four seven-night “Mediterranean Mosaics” sailings between Athens, Greece and Istanbul, Turkey.

Consecutive departures can also be combined to create three 14-night “Three Continents Explorer” voyages, sailing round trip from either Athens or Istanbul. The “Mediterranean Mosaics” cruises will include an overnight visit in Alexandria, Egypt.

Three 14-night “Three Continents Explorer” cruises will comprise of two round-trip Athens sailings and one round-trip Istanbul sailing.

Combining both “Mediterranean Mosaics” itineraries, the sailing will visit Athens (Piraeus), Alexandria, Limassol, Rhodes, Istanbul, Thessaloniki, Volos, Kusadasi and Heraklion, taking guests across Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and Egypt.

The cruises depart December 4, 11, and 18, 2027, and prices start at $1,469 per person.

All cruise fares include the following:

• Meals
• Soft drinks with meals
• Essential WiFi
• Gratuities
• Port Fees

John Diorio, Vice President & Managing Director, North America at Celestyal, gave the following statement:

“Our recently unveiled winter Western Mediterranean itineraries on Celestyal Discovery marked an exciting new chapter for the brand, and this new winter season on Celestyal Journey continues that momentum by offering even more choice across the wider Mediterranean.

“We also know how fondly many guests remember our Three Continents sailings, so we’re delighted to bring them back in a refreshed format. The opportunity to experience Europe, Asia and Africa in a single cruise is incredibly special, while the choice of seven- or 14-night voyages gives guests the flexibility to explore in a way that suits them.

“Combining celebrated cities with a diverse mix of culture, history and cuisine, these destination-rich itineraries are exactly the kind of immersive journeys Celestyal does best.

“Over the winter, visitors to Europe can travel at a slower pace and experience fewer crowds, longer stays – including overnights – and great access to the region’s incredible sites.”

If you have 138 days and about $77,000 to spare, a cruise line just opened an epic world cruise out of PortMiami for 2029.

Seabourn just revealed a new iconic world cruise, and it’s very different from most global sailings out of Southern Florida.

Only about 450 passengers will be able to book the 138-day sailing aboard Seabourn Quest that begins on January 7, 2029.

32,000 Mile Cruise to Lisbon

You would think that a cruise from Miami to Lisbon would simply sail across the Atlantic. But not in this case.

The sailing goes from PortMiami and then straight through the Panama Canal to visit the West Coast of South America before crossing the Pacific Ocean.

Officially named the “2029 World Cruise: Iconic Islands & Remote Horizons,” this 32,000-nautical-mile journey finishes up in Lisbon on May 26, 2029. Seabourn built this route around rare island stops and remote destinations across five continents.

Guests will visit 58 destinations across 31 countries and territories, stepping foot on 32 different islands along the way. The itinerary spans the Americas, South Pacific, New Zealand, Australia, Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean, Africa, and Europe.

Because Seabourn Quest is a smaller ship, it can visit harbors and shallow waterways where mega cruise ships simply can’t go.

Remote Stops

Some of the most remote stops on the schedule include Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas Islands, Praslin in the Seychelles, Antsiranana in Madagascar, Akaroa in New Zealand, and Burnie in Tasmania.

These are destinations you just can’t see on a larger vessel and are expensive to visit even by other transportation means.

More Time in Port and 8 Overnights

One of the best parts of this world cruise is how much time you actually get to spend off the ship. To give cruisers a chance to explore at a relaxed pace and experience local nightlife, the schedule packs in 20 extended stays and eight overnight port calls.

Overnight calls include:

• Lima, Peru
• Easter Island, Chile
• Bora Bora, French Polynesia
• Bali, Indonesia
• Singapore
• Sydney, Australia
• Zanzibar, Tanzania
• Cape Town, South Africa

You’ll also get extended stays in Cartagena, Auckland, Napier, Melbourne, Portland, Adelaide, Busselton, Fremantle, Colombo, Victoria, Walvis Bay, and Las Palmas.

World Heritage Sites and Overland Excursions

This itinerary stops near more than 25 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Highlights include the giant stone statues of Easter Island, New Zealand’s dramatic Fiordland National Park, Stone Town in Zanzibar, and the Sacred City of Kandy via Colombo.

For those who want to head further inland, Seabourn is also offering mid-cruise overland trips (Seabourn Journeys). These optional programs let you step off the ship for a few days to explore places like the Galápagos Islands, Machu Picchu, Uluru, the Taj Mahal, and African safari reserves.

What’s Included for Full World Cruisers

Cruisers who book the full 138-day voyage get a few special events included in their cruise fare.

In Bali, full-cruise guests get an included two-day, one-night land experience with private cultural events and local dining. In Cape Town, Seabourn is throwing an exclusive, after-hours evening at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), featuring local cuisine, live entertainment, and views of Table Mountain.

Onboard, guests will be sailing on a freshly updated ship too.

Seabourn Quest recently completed a dry dock update that updated the suites, refreshed public lounges, improved dining venues, and upgraded the spa.

The sailing will also feature destination enrichment lectures and the cruise line’s signature Seabourn Conversations speaker series.

Guests sailing the full 138 days also receive:

• Up to $4,000 in shipboard credit per Veranda Suite (up to $8,000 for Penthouse Suites and above)
• Round-trip Business Class airfare
• A one-night pre-cruise hotel stay in Miami
• Upgraded Starlink-powered Wi-Fi package
• Unlimited laundry, wet cleaning, and pressing
• A reduced 50% deposit at booking

For a Shorter World Cruise

If four months at sea is a bit too long for your schedule, Seabourn will also offer shorter multi-week segments of the voyage down the road.

Bookings are officially open now, and guests who reserve the full trip by September 17, 2026, can take advantage of a 10% early booking discount.

SeaDream Yacht Club has announced that a new ship will be joining its fleet in 2029: SeaDream III. This will be the first time in the cruise line’s 25-year history that they have had a brand-new ship.

The cruise line opened reservations for SeaDream III today, a yacht that will visit six continents, 73 countries, and 364 ports in its first 24 months in service.

The ship will carry around 200 guests and have a nearly equal number of crew members. Guest accommodations will span five decks, including larger suites and staterooms.

It will also have a dedicated pool deck, multiple indoor and al fresco dining options, and three dedicated watersport marinas.

SeaDream III will also feature expanded spa, fitness and wellness offerings, reflecting the cruise line’s continued focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle at sea.

The ship will sail its maiden season in Asia with the first voyage departing from Hong Kong on July 10, 2029. 11 days later, SeaDream III will be christened in Tokyo.

Her inaugural season will continue with a collection of voyages exploring Japan and South Korea. Four 14-night round-trip voyages from Tokyo will combine northern and western Japan with South Korea, followed by a 15-night cruise from Tokyo to Hong Kong through Japan’s southern islands.

Following her first season in Japan, SeaDream III will continue to Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand. Voyages will feature Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Bali, Komodo, the Great Barrier Reef and Tasmania, culminating in a New Year’s celebration in Sydney.

During her first 24 months, the cruise ship will sail to six continents, 73 countries, and 364 ports.

In 2030, the yacht will sail west from Asia to India, the Arabian Peninsula and the Mediterranean before arriving in London. From there, she will explore the British Isles, the Baltic, coastal Norway, Svalbard, Greenland and Iceland.

SeaDream III will then sail the North Atlantic to Canada, continuing through the St. Lawrence and into the Great Lakes. Voyages will include Montreal, Chicago, Toronto and Detroit, with calls throughout Georgian Bay, Lake Superior, the Niagara Peninsula, Prince Edward County and the St. Lawrence.

The yacht will continue along the American East Coast before arriving in West Palm Beach, near SeaDream Yacht Club’s U.S. headquarters in Palm Beach. From there, she will begin a series of voyages exploring the Caribbean, Central America, Colombia’s Caribbean coast and Panama.

On January 5, 2031, SeaDream III will depart on an epic 180-night world cruise from West Palm Beach to London.

The six-month cruise will transit the Panama Canal before following the Pacific coast of South America through Ecuador, Peru and Chile. SeaDream III will then journey through the South Pacific, visiting Easter Island, French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, Niue, Tonga, Fiji and Vanuatu before continuing to Australia, Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

From there, the epic journey will continue to Sri Lanka, the Maldives, India and the Arabian Peninsula before visiting Egypt and Jordan and transiting the Suez Canal. The final part of the cruise will visit the Mediterranean and along Europe’s Atlantic coast, concluding in London on July 5, 2031.

Atle Brynestad, founder and owner of SeaDream Yacht Club, gave the following statement:

“SeaDream III represents the next chapter for SeaDream. She will carry forward the same DNA as SeaDream I and SeaDream II: personalized service, exceptional cuisine, a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, and the genuine feeling of being on your own yacht. With SeaDream III, the whole world becomes our destination.

“SeaDream has never been about size for its own sake. Our focus is creating fantastic days and unforgettable experiences for every guest. SeaDream III gives us the opportunity to bring that experience to more places around the world.”

Royal Caribbean has canceled this week’s cruise to Alaska on Serenade of the Seas, a sailing that was originally scheduled to depart from Vancouver on Sunday, August 30, 2026.

Guests were told that the ship would depart two days late so repairs could be made to the vessel. Royal Caribbean was planning for the ship to visit one port in Alaska (Ketchikan) and one in Canada on a shortened cruise.

The cruise director on the ship told guests that the team is working diligently to fix the technical issue affecting the ship.

A passenger on the ship said that some passengers were still boarding Serenade of the Seas today in hopes of departing at 7:30 pm.

This evening, guests were told the cruise was canceled and that they needed to be off the ship by midnight on September 2. The ship has to leave the cruise terminal at that time, so guests will need to be off the vessel.

In a letter to guests, Royal Caribbean said the following:

“As you may know, Serenade of the Seas has been experiencing a technical issue. Despite our teams’ around-the-clock efforts to complete the necessary repairs, we were unable to resolve the issue in time for the ship to safely depart. As a result, we must cancel this sailing.

“We understand how disappointing and upsetting this news is. We know how much our guests look forward to their vacations. That’s why we made every effort to deliver the cruise experience planned. We sincerely apologize for the frustration, disruption, and inconvenience this cancellation has caused.”

Compensation Offered to Guests

Guests who were booked on this cruise will receive a full refund, including taxes and fees, amenities, and shore excursions. If a guest used a Future Cruise Certificate, they will receive a refund of new funds paid above the certificate amount and will have their original certificate reinstated.

The cruise line is also offering a pro-rated refund for daily packages (beverage, dining, VOOM) and pre-paid gratuities.

Royal Caribbean said that refunds will be returned to the original form of payment within 14 days.

In addition, the cruise line is offering a 100% Future Cruise Credit of whatever guests paid for their cruise that will be good for one year. Royal Caribbean said that this is a token of their appreciation for understanding why the cruise was canceled.

Royal Caribbean will also offer each guest up to $200 for domestic flights and up to $400 for international flight changes.

Complimentary WiFi is being offered on the ship for guests as they make arrangements to fly home early.

Royal Caribbean ended the letter by thanking guests for their patience, understanding, and cooperation as they work through the next steps together. Their team will remain available to assist guests throughout this process.

They also said that they were truly sorry for the disappointment and disruption this cancellation caused, and they regret that they were unable to deliver the experience that they planned for.

Serenade of the Seas was originally scheduled to sail a seven-night roundtrip cruise to Alaska from Vancouver with stops in Sitka, Tracy Arm/Edicott Arm, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Prince Rupert.

The next scheduled cruise for the ship is on Sunday, September 6, 2026.

One of Royal Caribbean’s 30 cruise ships has the luckiest casino at sea, according to a recent study done by Casinos.com. The study analysed over 5,000 Tripadvisor reviews, with Wonder of the Seas having the luckiest cruise ship casino.

Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras had the highest raw luck rate at 36.36%, based on just 66 reviews. Casinos.com used a Bayesian luck score to determine the luckiest casinos.

They analysed keywords including lucky, luck, won, winning, success, jackpot, hand pay, winner, bonus, profit, good fortune, hit big, cashed out, progressive jackpot, big win, high roller, free room, comped, free night, and generous to determine which cruise casino was the luckiest.

The 10 luckiest cruise ship casinos are:

1. Wonder of the Seas
2. Norwegian Bliss
3. Sky Princess
4. Anthem of the Seas
5. Carnival Mardi Gras
6. Carnival Vista
7. MSC Meraviglia
8. Norwegian Epic
9. Azura
10. Celebrity Infinity

Wonder of the Seas logged 36.13 luck-keyword mentions per 100 reviews.

Methodology

The raw luck rate is total keyword mentions divided by total reviews. A Bayesian adjustment was then applied for sample-size imbalance: Bayesian Score = (n x R + m x C) / (n + m), where n is the ship’s review count, R is its raw luck rate, m is the median review count across the 17 ships (340), and C is the fleet-wide average luck rate (0.251). Scores are expressed per 1,000 reviews.

The methodology counted keyword frequency in more than 5,000 reviews on Tripadvisor.

A version of the ranking using only the gambling-specific keywords produces a very similar order, with Sky Princess rather than Wonder of the Seas at number one.

Michael Graham, casino expert at Casinos.com, gave the following statement:

“Gambling at sea is the least transparent form of casino gambling most people will ever try. On land you can look up Nevada’s slot hold or Pennsylvania’s statutory minimum paybacks. At sea there is no equivalent number, because nobody is required to publish one.

“What that means in practice is that the only information a passenger has is the room itself. Is it busy, is it staffed properly, is there a tournament schedule, are the table limits and the payouts posted clearly? Look for 3:2 blackjack rather than 6:5, and check the roulette wheel for a single zero before you sit down, because at sea you will often find double zero as standard.

“And remember the casino only opens once the ship is out of territorial waters. On a port-heavy itinerary that can mean very little playing time, which is no bad thing for anybody trying to keep a holiday budget intact.”

Standing in -130°F temperatures might not sound like a dream vacation for you, but several cruise ships have introduced cryotherapy chambers to give cruisers exactly that experience.

I’m not talking about snow rooms and ice rooms. While these cooler options make for a more enjoyable spa experience on board, cryotherapy has a much deeper physical impact that many swear by.

If it’s a popular trend on land, it doesn’t take long for cruise ships to at least consider offering it to passengers at sea. At least that’s been the case for the health and wellness aspects of cruising.

Cold exposure was once reserved for professional athletes to help recover, but cryotherapy chambers have grown in popularity for people from all walks of life.

What Whole-Body Cryotherapy Actually Does

Unlike stepping into a chilly thermal room, a true whole-body cryotherapy session involves stepping into a sealed, high-tech cabin cooled between -130°F and -184°F (-90°C to -120°C).

You only stay inside for one to three minutes, but that extreme drop in temperature instantly triggers your body’s natural protection mode.

I know it sounds crazy if you’ve just heard about it for the first time. Most of us avoid extreme cold at all costs, but there are some big health benefits to this treatment.

Your surface blood vessels constrict almost immediately, and this pulls blood away from your skin and extremities straight toward your core to protect vital organs.

The second you step out of the chamber, that blood flushes back through your body packed with fresh oxygen and nutrients.

People who visit cryotherapy chambers regularly say they experience a rush of endorphins, reduced inflammation, faster muscle recovery, and a serious energy boost for the rest of the day.

It’s that last one that most beginner users say they experience the most.

4 Cruise Ships with Real Cryotherapy Chambers

While plenty of ships have cold exposure amenities (cold rooms, cryotherapy just for the face etc), only four major vessels currently feature dedicated sub-zero whole-body cryotherapy chambers on board:

Mein Schiff Relax (TUI Cruises)

Mein Schiff Relax was built around a high-tech wellness concept. Inside the spa, you’ll find a dedicated German-engineered Kältekammer (cryotherapy chamber). Guests go through a short pre-chamber before spending three minutes in a true -130°F environment.

You can check out this Youtube video from a Mein Schiff passenger using the cryo chamber on board. It’s an auto-translate from German, but should still give you an idea of what the experience is like. This is also a good time to point out that Mein Schiff is based in Germany and caters to a German-speaking audience.

Mein Schiff Flow (TUI Cruises)

Sister ship to Relax, Mein Schiff Flow has the exact same full-body chamber design to its spa. Flow just came out in June 2026 as the second Intuition-class ship.

It’s clear TUI sees cryotherapy as a permanent fixture for its wellness-focused passengers, so we can probably look to see more of these on TUI ships in the future. The next two Intuition-class ships are scheduled to debut in 2031 and 2032.

Four Seasons I (Four Seasons Yachts)

The ultra-luxury “yacht-liner” concept from Four Seasons takes wellness very seriously as well. Tucked inside the ship’s L’Oceana Spa is a dedicated whole-body cryochamber designed for fast cold therapy recovery in a high-end, private setting.

And it’s VERY cold. The chamber on board reaches temps as low as -250°F. With only 200 or so guests on board, it’s easier to schedule an appointment as well, and passengers can pair their cryotherapy sessions with an infrared chamber or ocean-view sauna.

MSC World Asia (MSC Cruises)

MSC World Asia is scheduled to make her debut in December 2026. It’s the third World-class ship with MSC Cruises but it will be the first to have a cryotherapy chamber.

Earlier in August, MSC Cruises revealed that the new ship would have “Whole-Body Cryotherapy, supporting muscle recovery, circulation and reduced inflammation.”

This will give active cruisers and gymgoers a serious recovery option after heavy workout sessions or long days exploring ports.

Snow Rooms vs. Cryo Facials: The Other Cold Options

If you aren’t sailing on one of those four specific ships, you’ll still find plenty of cold-inspired options to stay cool during a cruise to the Caribbean or hot-weather region:

• Targeted Cryo-Body Treatments: Ships like Cunard’s Queen Anne have thermoshock devices. Instead of putting your whole body in a chamber, therapists use a localized device to freeze targeted areas for skin firming, spot treatment, and localized muscle relief.
• Cryo Facials: Found on luxury ships like Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, these treatments use controlled streams of icy air focused on the face and neck to boost collagen and tighten skin.
• Thermal Snow and Ice Rooms: Popular across Viking, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and Celebrity Cruises, these are walk-in spa rooms featuring actual fallen snow or ice fountains. They are amazing for gradually cooling your body down after a hot sauna or too much time in the steam room. Personally, I love these snow rooms and it’s a great way to enjoy the ship’s spa longer.

Cruises offer the best vacation that money can buy. The value cruises offer is unparalleled when you compare them to every other type of vacation that is available.

However, not all cruises are created equal. Here are a few cruises that you might want to avoid if you want the best possible experience.

Maiden Voyages

The launch of new cruise ships brings excitement with new features, dining options, entertainment, and more. They also bring some growing pains for the first few cruises. It often takes a few voyages to get all the kinks out, and I have learned this firsthand.

I have been on the maiden voyages of many new cruise ships on different cruise lines, and they pretty much have one thing in common. It takes a few days for everything to start running smoothly.

On some of these cruises, the shows and entertainment weren’t ready. On others, the app didn’t work right for the first half of the cruise. On others, dining was much slower than usual due to the staff all working together for the first time. On the bright side, things always ran much smoother by the end of the cruise. 

There were also issues with the reservations system, WiFi, and a few other things that improved towards the end of the cruise. And the issue wasn’t just with one cruise ship; it seems that most new ships from all cruise lines always have a week or two adjustment period until crew members get things running at 100% proficiency.

If you want to sail on a brand new cruise ship, wait a few weeks and then go on it for the best experience.

Short Cruises During Spring Break

Short cruises to The Bahamas or Cozumel during spring break tend to be loud party cruises.

Now, if this is what you’re looking for, then go for it. However, if you want a quieter or more relaxing cruise, these voyages will not offer an optimal experience.

Cheapest Cruise You Can Book

I get it, sometimes you just want to book the cheapest cruise possible to save money. This often leads to booking a cruise that isn’t right for you. There are cruises for every type of traveler, from those who want an immersive cultural experience in Europe to those who just want a beach getaway in the Caribbean.

I know someone who will never take a cruise again because they did this. Instead of researching or using a travel agent to find a cruise that fit what they were looking for, they booked a cheap party cruise and were miserable the entire sailing.

First Cruise After a Dry Dock

The thought of taking a cruise on a ship that is just out of dry dock can be appealing to many cruisers. The ship will often have new restaurants, lounges, updated cabins, and other great amenities. If you are thinking about booking a cruise on a ship that is right out of dry dock, you may want to pass on the very first cruise and opt for a week or two later.

Many times, all the repairs and renovations are not completed by the end of the dry dock. I have read reports from cruisers complaining about construction still taking place throughout the week, and parts of the ship were still closed.

On one cruise, several passengers had their cruise canceled last minute because the construction workers needed a place to stay, and the cruise line bumped them from their cabins.

On one of my cruises, the ship was headed into dry dock when the cruise was over. On the day of debarkation, workers had already started work tearing up the pool deck. While this didn’t bother me, some passengers were bothered by it. It’s something worth considering.

Cruises with Large Themed Groups

There are two types of group cruises: those who charter the entire ship and those that just have a large group on board standard cruises. This is about the second group.

Large themed groups often change the entire atmosphere of cruise ships. They usually have parts of the ship blocked off for them to use (lounges, etc.), and it just creates a non-optimal cruise experience.

To see if there is a large themed group on your cruise, Google your cruise ship and the dates of your sailing. If there is a themed group cruise on your sailing, it will show up in search results from their website promoting it.