The Ups and Downs of Cruise Ships

Last week, there were countless reports about a young couple who fell (or jumped) from a cruise ship in waters near Australia. In the days that followed, there were no reports that the two people were found, and they were presumed to have drowned. Every story mentioned they were in a Carnival ship, which is… Continue reading The Ups and Downs of Cruise Ships

A Flight Plan That Attracts Tourists

  PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten — Go ahead. Call us crazy. Unless you think it's normal to go halfway around the world on planes and boats and taxis to see a jet fly over a beach? For hundreds of cruise passengers in St. Maarten, that's normal. The beach is Maho Bay, or near Maho Bay. The… Continue reading A Flight Plan That Attracts Tourists

The Queen, Olympics and…Breakaway?

The Norwegian Breakaway arrives in Bermuda today, its first port on its first cruise, and we're hoping Richard Janicki is on the ship. Who's Richard Janicki? He is a Norwegian employee, a hotel director, whom we happened to meet when we were last on the Epic. He's an interesting guy and — here's the reason… Continue reading The Queen, Olympics and…Breakaway?

Triumph (or Tragedy) Ship Returns

A cruise ship slipped out of a port quietly this week, or as quietly as a cruise ship can slip away from anywhere, and the reactions ranged from "Good riddance" to "Sorry you're leaving." The ship was the Carnival Triumph. That's the much-maligned Carnival Triumph. More than any cruise ship this side of the Costa… Continue reading Triumph (or Tragedy) Ship Returns

Breakaway's Inaugural Not SRO

  Tomorrow, the Norwegian Breakaway embarks on a pre-inaugural cruise. That's a cruise for travel agents and media, to give them a change to preview the new ship. On Sunday, it's the inaugural cruise. The first time the general public has a chance to sail on the ship. The breaking of the Breakaway's maiden, as… Continue reading Breakaway's Inaugural Not SRO