Cruise News January 21, 2018

This week, we are looking into the future. No, we do not have a crystal ball. Instead, many cruise lines have announced (or updated) cruise schedules as far out as 2020! Along with new itineraries and other cruise line announcements, we have all the major headlines in this edition of Cruise News January 21, 2018.

Cruise News January 21, 2018

Mega Ships Coming to LA

The port of Los Angeles is getting ready for the world’s largest cruise ships. Later this year, the port will host the Norwegian Bliss, the newest mega-ship from Norwegian Cruise Line. Norwegian Bliss will be stopping at the port several times this season. To accommodate the ship, cruise port officials have upgraded several facets of the port’s infrastructure and support services. Cruise officials note that most cruise line new builds are getting larger and larger, meaning the port needed to upgrade to support future ships. Could a new mega-ship be eyeing Los Angeles as a future home port?

Norwegian Bliss to Sail LA (Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line)

Carnival Victory Refurbishment Details

We learned a bit more this past week about the upgrades coming to Carnival Victory. The ship entered dry dock earlier this month and is expected to return with several new venues. Among the additions are the popular eateries Guy’s Burger Joint and the BlueIguana Cantina. The onboard deli has also received a face-lift with new menu items and decor. Also, passengers on Carnival Victory can now book new Scenic Oceanview rooms and Scenic Grand Oceanview staterooms. These new cabin types offer larger accommodations and unparalleled ocean vistas. The ship will sail three and four day Bahamas cruises departing from the Port of Miami.

New Ship Itineraries Released

Some new options became availabe this week for those looking to get a head start on their 2019 and 2020 vacations. Carnival Cruise Line released a new line-up of cruise itineraries for Carnival Triumph, with 4 to 14 night sailings visiting several popular locations. Homeports for the ship will include New York City, Fort Lauderdale, and Norfolk, Virginia stopping in ports in New England, Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and crossing the Panama Canal.

Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line

Adventure seekers can explore the most extreme regions of the world on new sailings with Poseidon Expeditions. With some nice discounts for cruisers who book before November 1st of this year, the line has several different options to visit both Antarctica and the Arctic Circle during 2019 and 2020. Among the new offerings is a 12-night Arctic Glacier cruise on the recently refurbished 114-guest Sea Spirit departing from Scotland. Or, travelers can explore Antarctica with 23-day cruises on the 128-guest 50 Years of Victory. North Pole cruises and other exotic locations are also available.

Last but not least, Norwegian Cruise Line unveiled some big changes for its largest ships. Starting in the 2019-2020 winter season, the cruise line will be shifting its mega-ships to new homeports. The largest move (literally) will be Norwegian Bliss, which will transition to New York to offer Bahamas and Caribbean sailings from the Big Apple. In addition, Norwegian Breakaway will continue to sail from FL but will move up north to Port Canaveral. This move will leave room for Norwegian Escape which will reposition to Miami in late Fall. There were also more announcements made for additional ships including NCL Gem, Getaway, and Dawn.

Let Your Personality Be Your Guide on Royal Caribbean

Finding the right cruise with Royal Caribbean might be easier than you think. The cruise line announced a new partnership with psychological testing company Myers-Briggs. Using the company’s patent personality assessment expertise and technology, Royal Caribbean will offer guests the ability to find the perfect cruise based on their personality. Would be travelers can head over to www.MyAdventurePersonality.com from now until March to try out the tool. With 13 questions considering four different elements of an individual’s personality, the new quiz will offer you a detailed cruise suggestion including ship and itinerary. Have you tried it yet? Drop us an anchor below to share your experiences with this new technology.

Comments

Did we miss any pertinent headlines in our Cruise News January 21, 2018? Do you have more news to share? Drop us an anchor below with your latest updates from the past week in cruising.