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

Landmark Decision About Norovirus

We are told that life, in terms of the legal community, is all about precedent. Well, here’s a precedent for the cruise industry that is going to be celebrated in cruise headquarters from Miami (Royal Caribbean) to Santa Clarita (Princess) to Genoa (Costa). And it happened in England. The subject: norovirus. In a lengthy, wordy… Continue reading Landmark Decision About Norovirus

New ships: Le Lyrial, Mein Schiff 4, AIDAprima

Fourth in a series about new ships Ponant’s Le Lyrial If you’d like to know how the wealthy French cruise, this could be as close as it gets. The Ponant ships are like large yachts, with a crew-to-passenger ratio better than 2-to-1, with a promise that every guest will be pampered, entertained and enlightened, and… Continue reading New ships: Le Lyrial, Mein Schiff 4, AIDAprima

Mercury's Moving to New Waters

When members of a cruise line start talking openly about the likelihood that a ship will be sold, you know it’s a done deal. In April, during an itineraries presentation on the Celebrity Millennium, Cruise Sales Manager Wes Savery made it clear he thought the good ship Mercury’s days were numbered. It is now official.… Continue reading Mercury's Moving to New Waters