logo
Royal Caribbean makes unpopular change; Cruise lines reborn

Royal Caribbean makes unpopular change; Cruise lines reborn

Yahoo28-02-2025
Passengers get angry when a cruise line skips a port.
They often demand compensation even though they're not entitled to any under their cruise contract. Cruise lines may even offer compensation if they make an unpopular change.Passengers do always get a full refund of any port fee or taxes.
Ports often get skipped for weather reasons. Sometimes, for example, it is too rough to dock at Royal Caribbean's private island Perfect Day at CocoCay. That can be disappointing for passengers, but the cruise line has to act in the best interest of safety.
In other cases, a cruise port get skipped because there is something wrong at the port. Maybe it's a small disruption and only one or two cruises will be missed or, perhaps, there's a bigger issue.
One popular cruise port has not been available for a few months. Royal Caribbean has had to cancel more sailing to that port.
Doug Parker of Cruise News Today has the full story along with news on two closed cruise lines making a comeback.
.
This is cruise news today with Doug Parker.
Good morning. Here's your cruise news for Thursday, February 27.
Royal Caribbean continues to adjust itineraries on more ships due to ongoing repairs at San Juan's Pier 3, which has been out of service since last April.
Now, Icon of the Seas will skip San Juan on select May, June, and July sailings, replacing the stop with Port of Ponce, Puerto Rico, or St. Martin.
Meanwhile, Symphony of the Seas will reroute April itineraries to Porta Plata or Labadee. The pier, which was damaged by an MSC cruise ship last year, is the only one in San Juan that can accommodate Royal Caribbean's larger ships.And two major cruise brands that collapsed under the company Genting during the pandemic are making a comeback.
Resorts World Cruises announced it'll rebrand and resurrect Dream Cruises and Star Cruises over the next three months.
Dream Cruises will continue sailing the Genting Dream from Singapore, while Star Cruises will launch two ships in Asia, the Star Navigator and Star Voyager, that'll be starting next month, both of the Genting-owned lines without a business following the pandemic.
A lesson that bankruptcy isn't always the end. It's just a brief stop before setting sail again.
And Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas has entered dry dock in Cádiz, Spain, for a refurbishment under the Royal Amplified Program.
Upgrades will include new suites, dining venues, an expanded pool deck, and family-friendly areas. The ship will also feature the Ultimate Abyss slide and the Perfect Storm waterslides, similar to those on other Oasis-class ships.
After the refit, Allure will spend the summer sailing the Mediterranean before repositioning to Port Everglades in November.
If you have a lead on a story, let us know. Tips@cruiseradio.net.
And this week's Cruise Radio podcast, a review of Norwegian Escape, where you listen to your favorite podcasts.
I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today. Have yourself a great Thursday.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
, or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Are cruises accessible? A wheelchair user with 40-plus cruises under her belt weighs in.
Are cruises accessible? A wheelchair user with 40-plus cruises under her belt weighs in.

Boston Globe

time2 hours ago

  • Boston Globe

Are cruises accessible? A wheelchair user with 40-plus cruises under her belt weighs in.

Is that cruise ship friendly to mobility-challenged guests? Sylvia Longmire is happy to share her opinions on the good and bad features she's discovered onboard. Courtesy photo Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Love me tender? Not so much. Notice she says, 'If you get lucky.' Tendering (where passengers are transported from the cruise ship to the shore using smaller 'tender' boats, when the ship cannot dock directly at the port) can be a challenge, the cruise veteran says. 'I cruise a lot with Celebrity Cruises, and all of their Edge class ships have accessible tendering with the magic carpet,' a cantilevered, floating platform that extends from the side of the ship, making it easier for guests to embark and disembark. 'But I've had nightmare scenarios with other cruise lines when I've been picked up and carried in my chair from the ship's platform to the tender while the boat was bobbing up and down due to choppy seas. I thought I'd have a heart attack!' Advertisement Thus, Longmire recommends that wheelchair users choose itineraries where ships are docked at ports of call, or simply be OK with skipping a tender port. 'I've done this plenty of times. I always hit the spa while the ship is empty!' You've got the ship to yourself while everyone else is in port — not a bad thing. How accessible is it? As for the ships themselves: Modern cruise ships on major cruise lines follow the guidelines from the Americans with Disabilities Act. Accessible staterooms are typically oversize, with wider doors, lower counters, roll-in showers, and grab bars alongside toilets, Longmire notes. Balconies are usually accessible too. Public spaces, including dining rooms and theaters, have room to accommodate wheelchair and scooter users. The larger, newer ships are the best option when it comes to accessibility, but the cruise line you choose is also important. 'You're going to get a fairly standard accessibility situation with US-based cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Carnival, NCL, Princess, Disney, and so on,' Longmire says, but 'my worst cruise-ship nightmares have been aboard the newer MSC ships.' Very few of the doors in the MSC Seascape's public areas are automatic, she notes, and the elevator system was unreliable. In addition, she discovered that MSC's private island, Ocean Cay, was not accessible. 'There are no beach mats for wheelchairs, and no access to food or beverages because it's all in the middle of the sand (and thus not navigable for wheelchairs). The shuttle is not accessible, so you have to rely on your own battery power or manual power to get around the island,' Longmire says. Advertisement Sylvia Longmire is a full-time wheelchair user and accessible travel expert at Courtesy photo Also disappointing from an accessibility standpoint: Princess Cruises' Sun Princess. 'The medallion system was great for unlocking my stateroom door, but there was no automatic door opener,' she says. On some decks, there was a double-door system to reach outdoor spaces. 'One door would be touchless/automatic to open, but the next set of doors were manual and heavy. It made no sense at all,' Longmire says. 'They also didn't have one single lowered table in the casino (to accommodate a wheelchair), and I really wanted to give them my money for blackjack.' Longmire has shared her concerns with the cruise companies. The Globe reached out to both cruise lines, but neither responded by press time. That said, a few cruise lines have won her heart. 'My absolute favorite is Virgin Voyages, with Celebrity Cruises a close second,' Longmire says. They both have all of the standard ADA accessibility features, but there's this: 'a general sense that they've thought of you and want to include you.' It's not surprising that Celebrity embraces this group, since their demographic skews older, so they have plenty of passengers who rely on mobility devices, she says. 'Virgin has a younger demographic, but an extremely inclusive business culture, so they want everyone to have fun.' Examples include accessible karaoke spaces, pool lifts on their ships and on their private beaches, lower tables in the casinos, and designated spaces for wheelchair users all over the ships, she notes. Disney was also great for accessibility, 'but I only cruised with them once when my sons were younger,' Longmire says. Advertisement Take me to the river We suspected that river cruises would be a no-go for this group, given that many lines are European-owned, and therefore not subject to ADA requirements. Plus, river boats are often stacked up next to each other, so you need to walk through one vessel to get to another, and so on, before you finally hit pavement. But if you're pining for a river trip, Longmire has a recommendation: the Vakantieschip Prins Willem Alexander ( Accessible travel blogger/expert Sylvia Longmire has been a full-time wheelchair user for 10 years. She travels extensively, and shares the ins and outs of accessible travel online and in her travel guidebooks. Courtesy photo The kindness of strangers Forty cruises! That's a lot of safety drills and champagne toasts. What has surprised Longmire the most on these journeys? The kindness and grace she's received from local people. 'I'm astonished at the length locals will go to make sure you can experience as much as possible with a disability,' she says. 'Given that tour operators and residents deal with thousands of cruise passengers being dumped in their neighborhood every day, they're all about hospitality,' she says, and proudly share their culture and history with a stranger who might not otherwise be able to enjoy it. 'I can't tell you how many times I've been picked up and carried, both in and out of my wheelchair, just so I can experience something awesome in a foreign port.' Advertisement As for the cruise lines, they could do better when it comes to making passengers with mobility challenges feel welcome, Longmire says. 'When was the last time you saw a TV commercial for a cruise line that included a wheelchair user? I've been doing this for a very long time, and I never have. And that makes no sense whatsoever because every time you go on a cruise, you're going to see dozens of people using wheelchairs, scooters, and walkers. 'People with disabilities spend $50 billion on travel in the US, so I don't understand why cruise lines and the rest of the hospitality sector aren't more aggressively marketing directly to us.' They also haven't recognized the powerful peer-to-peer social media groups — many on Facebook — that focus on accessible travel. 'Cruise lines need to tap into the community and make us feel more seen and desired as future passengers.' 'Everything You Need to Know about Wheelchair Accessible Cruising' is available at Connect with Longmire at Diane Bair and Pamela Wright can be reached at

Moving Papa Expands Nationwide Moving Services with Local Hubs in Toronto and Vancouver
Moving Papa Expands Nationwide Moving Services with Local Hubs in Toronto and Vancouver

Business Upturn

time5 hours ago

  • Business Upturn

Moving Papa Expands Nationwide Moving Services with Local Hubs in Toronto and Vancouver

By GlobeNewswire Published on July 31, 2025, 17:00 IST Toronto, ON, July 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Moving Papa, a trusted name in professional relocation services, is proud to announce the continued expansion of its residential and commercial moving operations across Canada. With strategic hubs in both Toronto and Vancouver, Moving Papa is uniquely positioned to serve customers coast to coast with dependable, stress-free moving solutions. From downtown condos to corporate offices, Moving Papa specializes in tailored moving services that meet the unique needs of families, businesses, and institutions across the country. With a commitment to professionalism, transparency, and customer care, the company has become a go-to choice for Canadians seeking efficient and affordable moving support. 'Our goal is simple: make moving easier for everyone—whether you're relocating to a home across town or across the province,' said a spokesperson for Moving Papa. 'By maintaining strong teams in both Eastern and Western Canada, we're able to offer seamless coordination and rapid response times, without compromising on quality.' Moving Papa offers a full suite of services including: Local movingResidential and commercial relocationsOffice and industrial moves Packing, unpacking, and storage solutions As a Canadian-owned company, Moving Papa takes pride in supporting local economies and providing job opportunities in the communities it serves. For more information or to request a quote, visit Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash GlobeNewswire provides press release distribution services globally, with substantial operations in North America and Europe.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store