Cruise Radio

We talk go off the record with a cruise ship crew member to find out what life is like below deck, how gratuities are really distributed, and how they get paid. 

On this episode, we get a review of Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas that stopped in Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay. Rob answers some shore excursion questions about Northern Europe and Mediterranean cruise itineraries. Sherry Laskin has cruise news.

Stewart Chiron, America's Most Quoted Cruise Expert, stops by to share his thoughts on the Venice cruise ship ban, cruise line pricing, investing money in private islands in the Bahamas, and a look ahead at the cruise industry.  Date: August 18, 2019

We get a 2019 review of Celebrity Equinox. This ship is currently sailing Caribbean cruises out of Port Everglades. This was a seven-night sailing to the Eastern Caribbean islands that went to St. Thomas, San Juan, Tortola, and St. Maarten. 

We get a review of a 12-night cruise in the Mediterranean from Venice from Barcelona. The ship was Holland America Line's ms Veendam.  Date: August 11, 2019 

We get a review of a four-night cruise to Bermuda on Carnival Sunrise. Sunrise is Carnival Cruise Line's second Sunshine-class ship that is spending the summer in New York City before repositioning to Florida. 

On this rewind episode, we go answer your listener questions. Norwegian Cruise Line steakhouse, getting on a ship to take a tour without sailing, cruising with a disability, Royal Caribbean's The Key Program, and issues with New York travel insurance.  Submit your questions to doug@cruiseradio.net.  Date: August 4, 2019

A review of Holland America's latest ship the Nieuw Statendam on a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise. Cruise news on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Princess Cruises, and a brawl on a cruise ship.

What it's like sailing Cunard's Queen Mary 2. Sharon just returned from a seven-night sailing from New York City to Canada/New England and she talks about her sailing as a first-timer sailing Cunard Line. She discusses what it was like sailing Cunard line and how it differs from the mass market cruise lines that she is used to sailing. Date: July 28, 2019 

We get a review of Carnival Cruise Line's Conquest-class ship Carnival Valor on a cruise to Cozumel and Progresso, Mexico.  Listener Question: How can I find cheap air for my European cruise?

Joseph Farcus is a legend in the cruise industry. He designed every Carnival Cruise Line ship from 1977 to 2011, and stayed with Carnival Corporation until he retired in 2014. Joseph recently published a book called Design on the High Seas, and he joins me to talk about the book and gives us a look behind the curtain. He also discusses how he designed the signature Carnival funnel, why so many Carnival Cruise Line ships have neon and other questions.

A review of Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Bliss on a seven-night cruise. We get a comprehensive review of this Breakaway-plus class ship. Bliss spends the summers in Alaska and winters sailing the Caribbean.  We answer your travel insurance questions regarding sailing during hurricane season, the difference between credit card insurance and a regular policy, and the cut off line for buying a travel insurance policy. Sherry has cruise news.

We finally got a review of Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas. This cruise ship was launched in 2016 for the Asia and Australia market. Now the ship is spending the summer in Alaska. Scott and his family just returned from the ship and gave us a comprehensive review of this Quantum-class cruise ship. 

We get a review of Carnival Victory, a ship that sails three and four nights out of Miami, Florida. This was a three-night Bahamas cruise. Matt gives us a bow to stern overview of the ship and what he did in the Bahamas. In 2020, Carnival Victory will undergo a $200 million dry dock to become Carnival Radiance. 

A review of one of Royal Caribbean's Freedom Class cruise ships Independence of the Seas. This was a four-night cruise out of Port Everglades over to Cozumel. Mike gives a detailed review of the cruise and what the ship was like.