New ship No. 6 — Mein Schiff 5

Sixth in a series of new ships for 2016 Most North Americans, it’s safe to assume, know little about TUI Cruises. It’s a smaller cruise line, or a cruise line of smaller ships, or both. It is, however, owned by Royal Caribbean and that gives it a cache of credibility for people interesting in cruising on… Continue reading New ship No. 6 — Mein Schiff 5

Friday File: Food More Than A Thought

Food is such a focal point of cruising, for at least two reasons. One is that the quality and/or amount of food consumed justifies the cost of the cruise. The other is that cruise lines traditionally have special events for food lovers — sometimes at an extra cost (specialty restaurants) and sometimes free. The photos… Continue reading Friday File: Food More Than A Thought

Allure of the Seas…More Alluring?

When we heard that Allure of the Seas was going in to be refurbished, our initial reaction was: What could be better? It is a rite of passage that cruise ships are refurbished every five years or so, even when they’re the biggest and arguably best of all mainstream ships. Until Harmony of the Seas… Continue reading Allure of the Seas…More Alluring?

Creativity In Ship Casinos

Our sense is that things are gradually changing on cruise-ship casinos. It started when Crystal Cruises announced last month it was offering passengers — albeit passengers from gambling hotspots Hong Kong and Singapore — the opportunity to convert on-board credits into chits for the casino. Now, Carnival has a promotion that gives you up to $50… Continue reading Creativity In Ship Casinos

The Skinny On Cruise Fuel Surcharges

Travelers who subscribe to Travel Weekly — billed as “The Travel Industry’s Trusted Voice” — may have noticed that cruise lines are experiencing an unexpected drop in fuel prices despite that turmoil in many oil-producing countries. As a result, cruise lines are enjoying better bottom lines. For example, Norwegian is paying less for fuel this… Continue reading The Skinny On Cruise Fuel Surcharges